A Baltimore right-wing dynasty known for representing the city’s Catholic Church is now suing the archdiocese, alleging the son of a right-wing scion was sexually abused by a priest as a child – which ultimately led to a fatal overdose last year.
Francis’ children
When he came forward years later, the church refused to investigate his allegations and even threatened him for giving the name of his alleged perpetrator.
Flannery and Liam Gallagher are now suing the St. Sulpice Foundation – the order that runs the seminary – and the Archdiocese of Baltimore, seeking unspecified damages.
Francis X. Gallagher Jr.’s family is suing the Archdiocese of Baltimore over his historic sexual abuse
They should also consider bringing in their grandfather’s law firm, Gallagher, Evelius & Jones, which has defended the church – and continues to do so in this lawsuit.
According to the lawsuit, Flannery and Liam’s grandfather, Francis X. Gallagher Sr., formed a law firm representing the Archdiocese of Baltimore in 1961.
“Frank Sr. was reportedly the VA’s principal counsel on legal and policy matters for the ten years prior to his death,” the lawsuit reads.
“Indeed, Frank Sr. was created a Knight of St. Gregory, an honor bestowed in recognition of his personal service to the Catholic Church.”
He died in 1972, aged just 43, during a high-profile trial representing priests accused of anti-war activities.
The lawsuit alleges that his law firm, “despite making millions from Frank Sr.’s connections and reputation,” provided almost no financial support to his widow and five young children.
To help the family, Frank Jr. then took a job as a night clerk at the seminary, where he was allegedly abused by Rev. Mark Haight, who is now on the archdiocese’s list of ministers with credible allegations of child sexual abuse .
A Maryland Attorney General’s report on sexual abuse within the clergy mentions that Haight took a 14-year-old boy, a night clerk at St. Mary’s, on a camping trip to Assateague Island, where he molested the boy in front of another seminarian nothing said or done.
The boy’s name is not given in the report, but the Gallaghers insist it was their father.
Flannery, herself a DC attorney, said at a Tuesday news conference that she and her brother learned of their father’s alleged abuse in the early 2000s, when Francis Jr. approached the church about his abuse allegations.
After his death last year, Flannery said she and Liam found out about his exchanges with the archdiocese, in which he named his alleged abuser and wanted to find out if another child was molested by him.
Documents obtained by the Washington Post show that in April 2002 he approached the Auxiliary Bishop of Baltimore William Francis Malooly, later Bishop of Delaware, and Rev. Patrick Carrion, assistant director of ministerial staff, to discuss Haight.
Gallagher’s father, Francis X Gallagher Sr., right, pictured with Cardinal Lawrence Shehan, center, and Pope Paul VI, left
The children of Francis shown here in his youth
“One of my many regrets is that it has taken me 28 years to come forward,” Francis Jr. wrote in the letter. “The thought that my silence on this issue could have contributed to others being mistreated is something I’ll have to live with forever.”
“Therefore, I would like to gain understanding on some issues.”
However, the complaint said the two men never responded.
Apparently desperate for answers, Francis Jr. then approached Bishop Howard Hubbard of the diocese in Albany, New York, where he knew Haight was working. He was removed from the priesthood in 1966.
Francis Jr. finally learned in June 2002 that Haight had molested other children in Albany and that Haight’s story “was not disclosed to any of the communities in which he served — authorities were never notified of Haight’s crimes,” the lawsuit says .
Just a month earlier, the lawsuit states, Francis Jr. wrote to Hubbard, saying that by not taking action, the Church would help me, the victims who have come forward, and the others of whom I am sure that they continue to suffer, continue to wrong silently in unimaginable ways.
“It’s both shameful and cruel.”
In a letter to St. Mary’s Seminary President Robert Leavitt in July 2002, he also wrote of his anger at the archdiocese’s lack of response, saying the seminary “didn’t show the slightest expression of apology, let alone one recognition” of the situation.
St. Mary’s Seminary and University, a Catholic seminary in Baltimore
The Archdiocese of Baltimore, seat of the Catholic Church in Charm City
At that point, the complaint said the Archdiocese had “threatened” Francis Jr. while continuing to press for Haight’s name to be included in the then-new list of priests and seminaries on whom credible allegations of abuse were made.
If the Archdiocese added Haight, Francis Jr. said the complaint would also have to include his uncle, Rev. Joe Gallagher, who was later “credibly” accused of child sexual abuse.
But Francis reportedly asked the church to give both names.
Finally, in September 2002, Haight’s name was added to the public list of clergymen who have been credibly accused of abuse.
“The trials of our father were overwhelmingly and overwhelmingly unfair and undeserved,” Flannery said at Tuesday morning’s news conference.
“His shame belongs to the accused, so today we return it to them.”
“There are countless people in our community who are suffering from the terrible scourge of the Church,” Flannery added. “We honor them and stand by them.”
In a statement to The Washington Post, the Archdiocese said it “only learned of the pending litigation and cannot provide a response at this time.”
But it said: “The Archdiocese offers her its deepest sympathy and prayers for the family.”
has also reached out to the Archdiocese and Gallagher, Evelius & Jones for comment.